the Chaos Theory is Kid's Stuff
by RefinedOrderlySincereElegant
Summary: Hermione's wondering what love is. ['And that would also explain the butterflies and the blushing and the racing heart. I mean, it has to be something physical, right? Who’s to say it isn’t all the physical laws being disrupted'] RonHermione ONESHOT


**Disclaimer: JKR? Me? Well, you've got one of the initials right, anyway…**

**AN: This is what happens when you look at cute little kittens for too long.

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I can't stand this. The war and Voldemort and the Death Eaters and the Horcruxes…I'm so worried about my parents and Harry and Ron…Ron…What if I never get to tell him? What if I do and he doesn't feel the same? Oh, who am I kidding? Of course he doesn't feel the same! We're friends. Best friends. But nothing more that.

Oh, great, now I'm bawling. All it takes is that one little thought and I'm bawling. And here I thought I might be able to stay rational about this whole thing for once and approach it logically. But when it comes to love I guess all logic is thrown out the window.

"Hermione! What's wrong?"

See, there's another illogicality right there. It is statistically impossible for someone to always find you when you want to see them least.

"N-nothing."

I sound like I'm dying. I'm sure _that_ will convince him.

"It's not nothing. Come on, tell me."

Why does he have to looks so concerned? Make my heart bleed, why don't you?

"That's a double negative."

He stares at me looking confused, "Huh?"

"Saying 'not nothing' is a double negative. You should say 'it is something.'"

He's staring me again.

"Fine, _it is something_, then. Now, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing, Ron."

"Is too. Tell me."

Hurry! Distract him somehow!

"That's two two-word sentences in a row."

Idiot.

"Er…yeah, I guess it is."

He's looking at me like I'm insane. Maybe I am. Maybe that's what they mean by 'madly in love' that it actually drives you mad. Maybe it's a mental condition. Maybe that's why everything seems so illogical when you're in love, it's not that reality has become completely warped, it's that you loose the ability to be logical.

Or maybe it really _does_ warp reality. I mean, maybe it's like a rift in the space-time continuum that makes bizarre things happen. Because it really is statistically impossible for someone to always show up when you want to see them least, or when you were just thinking about them (never mind that your just about always thinking about them, sometime over the span of seven years of knowing them they _have_ to show up on one of the rare occasions that your not), or when you're looking you're absolute _worst _(never mind you always feel extra self conscious around them). And that would also explain the butterflies and the blushing and the racing heart. I mean, it _has_ to be something physical, right? Who's to say it isn't all the physical laws being disrupted? Life as we know it turning upside down?

"EARTH TO HERMIONE!"

"Huh?" I say, breaking out of my reverie.

"What were you thinking about?"

"What—oh—er—nothing."

He's giving me a _yeah, right_ look. Maybe I should say something…

"What do you think love is?"

But NOT that! I most definitely SHOULDN'T say that! But I already did…this isn't good…

"What?" he squeaks.

Squeaks. I'm not kidding.

"What do you think love is?" I repeat, and at least this time I have the since to feel and sound embarrassed by what's coming out of my mouth.

There's another silence.

"What do you mean?"

He's not as squeaky now, but his voice is still pretty high pitched. There's something else to it, too, though, something like…_hope_.

"Well," I said, "what do you think it is? What is this thing that makes people act so strange? Because I'm starting to think it must be some sort of rift in the space-time continuum that causes this, I'm almost sure of it. I mean, you know the chaos theory? The symptoms of love make that seem like kid's stuff. Or maybe it's a mental condition, I mean, maybe all the symptoms are really in your head when you're in love. Maybe that's why marriage counseling never works, because going to shrink _helps_ your mental condition. Supposedly, anyway. The more I think about the more a mental condition seems likely, I mean maybe all the things that are statistically impossible that happen when your in love are only a result paranoia. Maybe love is really all about looking for self-validation in someone else. Maybe it's all a lie. That's a scary, and pretty depressing thought, though, when you think about it, all those happy couples of the world are living a lie. But maybe living a lie isn't so bad. I mean, ignorance is bliss, right? But surely someone would have figured out by now that it was a lie if it was, indeed, a lie. So, going back to theory of it being a rift in the space time continuum—"

I'm not able to finish my thought because now he's kissing me. Well, that's unexpected…_but_ _nice…very nice…I wonder if my stomach is doing all that jumping from exhilaration or excitement or surprise or nervousness…Am I nervous?...How about that, I feel hot all over, yet I'm getting chills at the same time…His lips are so soft…Why are my thoughts so messed up? I can't…What was I thinking? Why am I even thinking at all?_

He's stopped. Was I wondering just now if I was nervous? Because I am. I'm suddenly very nervous, and embarrassed, and I have no idea what to do with myself, yet I can't stop grinning like a maniac…

"That's love, Hermione."

His voice sounds different, and not the least bit squeaky.

"I mean," he says suddenly. "It is for me, but I understand if you don't feel the same way…"

He's looking at his feet now and rubbing the back of his neck nervously. And suddenly everything clicks. Love isn't about finding someone who completes you entirely to be your other half, or maybe it is for some people, but not for Ron and me. With us it's the fact that we compliment each other so well. It doesn't always seem like it with our constant bickering, we're complete opposites, but we balance each other out. He won't always know what I'm thinking on the inside, but he'll always be _by_ my side, and vice versa. There will still be me, and there will still be him, but there will also be _us_, and it wouldn't be right if there wasn't. It will take work and effort, but will be all the better for it. It's trust, loyalty, responsibility, communication, faith, hope, passion, devotion and that extra element thrown in that no one can ever quite define…yes, the chaos theory is definitely kid's stuff compared to this.

"Look, we can just pretend this never happened," Ron says, jolting me back to Earth.

He sounds sad. He must have taken my silence as a rejection, that's not good.

"Ron?"

"Yeah?"

He won't look at me.

"I love you."

Now he's looking at me.

"R-really?"

I nod, smiling. He smiles back.

Why did I ever think this was complicated?

END

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AN: So? Should I never look at kittens before writing again? Review, please! Even just a number between one and ten would make my day!**

**Thank you.**


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